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Hwasong-12
Type	Ballistic missile, Mobile IRBM/ICBM
Place of origin	North Korea
Service history
In service	Successful test on 14 May 2017
Used by	Korean People's Army Strategic Force
Production history
Manufacturer	North Korea
Produced	June 2017
Specifications
Mass	24.7 tons (est.)
Height	16.5 m (est.)
Diameter	1.5 m (est)
Warhead	Conventional Possibly nuclear
Warhead weight	500-650 kg (est.)
Engine	Liquid-propellant rocket, single chamber variant of Paektusan 464.1 kN total
Propellant	Hypergolic combination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel, and either Dinitrogen tetroxide (N 2O 4)
Operational range	3,700–6,000 km (est.)
Flight altitude	2,111.5 km at lofted trajectory (which reduces range to 787 km)
Maximum speed	Mach 17 (20,800 km/h; 12,900 mph; 5,780 m/s)
Guidance system	Inertial
Accuracy	greater than 5 km CEP
Launch platform	MAZ-based vehicle

The Hwasong-12 (Korean: 《화성-12》형 or 《화성포-12》형; Hancha: 火星 12型; lit. Mars Type 12; KN-17 under the U.S. naming convention) is a mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile developed by North Korea. The Hwasong-12 was first revealed to the international community in a military parade on 14 April 2017 celebrating the Day of the Sun which is the birth anniversary of North Korea's founding President, Kim Il Sung. North Korea tested Hwasong-12 on 30 January 2022.

Design

Based on photos of the launch on 14 May 2017, the Hwasong-12 appears to be a single stage design, using a single main engine along with four vernier engines. The arrangement appears similar to the "high-thrust" engine test conducted in March 2017. Alternatively, it could be based on the engine used in the older Hwasong-10 with the addition of two more verniers.

Initial estimates suggest the Hwasong-12 would have a maximum range of between 3,700 kilometres (2,300 mi) with a 650 kg (1,430 lb) payload and 4,500 km (2,800 mi) with a 500 kg (1,100 lb) payload, to as much as 6,000 km (3728 mi) (ICBM means a range of at least 5,500 km). In the April 2017 military parade the Hwasong-12 was displayed on the Hwasong-10 mobile launcher, and it may be intended to replace the similarly performing Hwasong-10 which has been shown unreliable during its test program.

Hwasong-8

On the morning of 27 September 2021, a Hwasong-8 missile was launched in Ryongrim County, although it was reportedly fitted with a manoeuvrable reentry vehicle, which would achieve hypersonic speed. Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, stated that the new missile looked like the booster of Hwasong-12 upon inspection of the sole image of the missile, but more images would be needed to confirm it. This was one of the five 'most important' weapons laid out in a five year plan in the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, where the development of the missile was reported to have already been completed. State media of North Korea described it as a weapon of great strategic significance.

The missile apparently flew on a depressed trajectory, reaching an apogee of 30 km and a range of 200 km, although it is likely that a part of the missile's path would have been untraceable with radar due to its ability to manoeuvre. The test reportedly confirmed its navigational control and stability, as well as the guiding manoeuvrability and flight characteristics of the detached hypersonic gliding warhead. However, the missile allegedly failed to actually achieve hypersonic flight, with South Korean intelligence determining it only reached Mach 2.5-3, whereas hypersonic weapons are considered to travel at a speed of at least Mach 5 (1.7 km/s; 6,100 km/h) although actual data on the flight was not publicly released. The South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) assessed that the Hwasong-8 was at an early stage of development and would take a "considerable period of time" until it could be deployed in combat. North Korea also stated that the missile was launched through "ampulization," where the liquid fuel is sealed in the launch canister. This allows the fuel to be stored for years and eliminates the need to conduct fueling before launch, reducing preparation time needed before firing, although the JCS still claimed a 'significant amount of time' was needed to deploy the missile.

List of Hwasong-12 tests

Technical specifications

Current operators

•  North Korea

See also

• R-27 Zyb
• Pukkuksong-1
• JL-1
• KN-08
• Hwasong-10
• Hwasong-14

References

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2. "North Korea's long range missile HS-12".
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5. ^ Savelsberg, Ralph (19 May 2017). "A Quick Technical Analysis of the Hwasong-12". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
6. ^ 김, 효정 (15 May 2017). "北 "신형 중장거리미사일 발사 성공"…김정은 "美본토 타격권"(종합)". Retrieved 18 August 2017.
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22. ^ Tomlinson, Lucas. "NoKo failed missile is KN-17, new type of Scud, US officials tell Fox". Fox News. Fox. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
23. Wright, David (5 April 2017). "North Korea's April 5 Missile Launch". All Things Nuclear. Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
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25. Schabnder, Dean. "North Korea's attempted missile launch fails, US officials say". ABC. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
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27. Tomlinson, Lucas (28 April 2017). "North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile that breaks up in flight, US officials say". Fox News. Fox. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
28. "U.S. Pacific Command detects, tracks North Korean missile launch". US Forces Korea. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
29. "Nordkoreas Diktator hat sich für eine erneute Provokation entschieden. Die USA reagieren scharf: "Alle Optionen sind auf dem Tisch". (in German)". Abendblatt. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
30. "Trump and Abe vow to increase pressure after North Korea fires missile over Japan". The Gurdian. 29 August 2017.
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32. "Nordkorea feuert erneut Rakete über Japan hinweg". Abendblatt. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
33. Yoonjung, Seo (3 October 2022). "Japan issues rare alert as North Korea fires missile without warning over main island". CNN. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
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36. North Korea’s missile launch over Japan shows increased payload, distance: exclusive analysis. Breaking Defense. 15 February 2023.
37. "How potent are North Korea's threats?". BBC News Online. 15 September 2015.

1. Initially reported as Chonchon County

External links

• CSIS Missile Threat - Hwasong-12

• Ballistic missiles of North Korea
• Intermediate-range ballistic missiles of North Korea
• Military equipment introduced in the 2010s